Commercial article printing typically occurs during the production of the article. For example, ball skins are printed with patterns or logos prior to the ball being completed and inflated. Consequently, a non-production establishment, such as a distribution site, which customizes products, for example, in region in which potential product customers support multiple professional or collegiate teams, needs to keep an inventory of products bearing the logos of the various teams. Ordering the correct number of products for each different logo to maintain the inventory can be problematic.
Prior to printing these three-dimensional objects, the surface of the object requires treatment to enable a smooth, durable image to be formed on the surface. Low cost surface treatments include hand buffing, an isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or solvent wipe, followed by surface drying. More expensive operations include plasma, corona, blown arc, and flame surface treatments. Both the low cost and more expensive surface preparation methods require a human operator to perform the operations. Including these treatments as part of the printing process and automating them would help remove the human variability in the results and avoid exposure of humans to solvents and other chemicals.